An IronFrost Christmas
by Lashworthe
Summary: Tony just wants to enjoy Christmas with his team. But his boyfriend, Loki, disappeared and now a horned troublemaker is attacking cities around the world and Tony has a sinking suspicion that Loki is behind it all. Ironfrost holiday hijinks! (Multipart to conclude on Christmas!) COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Tony tried to not be anxious about his first Christmas with Loki, but it was hard not too, especially with as disastrous as Thanksgiving had been. Looking back on it, the holiday party probably hadn't been the best time to let the other Avengers know Tony was currently dating the once (and still sometimes) villain.

It'd taken a week before anyone had talked to him and now he was dealing with weekly 'Tony, I'm worried about you,' chats with everyone. Bruce was the worst because he was just so damn sincere about the whole thing.

Thankfully, the 'interventions' had stopped and Tony was pretty sure that there would be no more trying to save him. He'd deliberately made sure that he'd started timing his make out sessions with Loki right during these 'I'm worried about you' talks and that had worked like a charm.

Christmas however was a totally different beast. Like everything else, Tony Stark did Christmas big. The biggest tree he could get into the tower the Avengers were all sharing now, the outside of the tower decorated, and he'd even gotten a festive eye patch for Fury for the occasion. He'd spent loads of money buying the best things for his teammates and hoping that their gifts would go over better than the rabbit he'd gotten Pepper a few years back... He was pretty sure Pepper had burned it during her bachelorette party before marrying Happy. Tony didn't want to know or get confirmation about that one way or the other.

And now it was Christmas Eve and Tony was pacing the dining room, all the food had already been delivered (like Tony Stark cooked) and laid out on the table. The designers and linens people had already come and gone and the whole floor looked like Christmas had thrown up. There were reds and greens everywhere, wreaths, trees and glitter. Tony (well Jarvis really) had already even scheduled the cleaners to come on January the sixth to get rid of everything and remove every speck of glitter. Everything looked perfect, and the whole team was going to be here.

Everyone except Loki.

Last night, after a particularly rousing round of some bedroom acrobatics, Loki had informed Tony he had other things to do that night, but assured Tony he would be by in time for dinner on Christmas Day.

"Am I just your side guy?" Tony had asked, batting his eyes.

Loki had snorted and rolled his eyes, "No but I have other obligations that are not up for discussions."

That had been the end of that conversation and the beginning of round two in the sack. When Tony had woken up the next morning, Loki was gone and that was that. But where Loki was going made Tony anxious. Loki hadn't 100% given up the whole villain thing. He'd toned it down and now mostly just annoyed the Avengers when they were doing things he found ridiculous, but him disappearing around a major holiday without a word didn't look good. He knew the rest of the team would see that too and he wasn't in the mood to deal with it.

While Tony always decorated to the nines for the holidays, they weren't his favorite time of year. Ever since his family had died there'd never really been a Christmas that hadn't involved drinking until he blacked out. He was still feeling out this whole family-less holiday thing and it'd been twenty years.

The elevators jingled the opening of Jingle Bells as the door opened and Bruce walked in carrying a massive tray of cookies. Tony hurried over to help and Bruce smiled. "I wasn't sure there'd be enough food."

"I did hire a caterer Bruce, there's a chef in the kitchen. Figured point break would eat through a whole hog if he could," Tony said but smiled, "But yeah I didn't get many cookies so perfect. Come on in."

Bruce walked in and looked around, "It looks great in here Tony."

"Yeah, how many elves did you hire to set this up?" Came Clint's voice, hopping off the elevator with a bag slung over his shoulders.

"Oh real clever," Tony snorted.

Clint grinned and dropped the bag of presents under the largest tree in the den. Then he started pulling out badly wrapped gifts and putting them out. Tony tried to not snicker at the duct tape and newspaper wrapping job.

Bruce helped get the cookie tray onto the table then took a cookie for himself and started to nibble on it as he walked around the floor to admire the decorations.

Tony had to wonder when the last time Bruce had actually had celebrated anything with anyone. He knew Bruce had spent most of his time since the big guy alone, and he was glad to see Bruce out with the people, even if he did look like he was ready to run off at a moment's notice.

Natasha appeared without any of the elevator's fanfare. One moment she just appeared beside Clint, helping to get presents shoved under the tree. Steve arrived with Jingle Bells playing and he wore a fake Santa beard and a red jacket. Tony just snorted, "Finally looking your age!" Tony called.

Steve laughed, "Oh, low blow."

Tony shook his head and snorted as Steve handed a bag over to Natasha and Clint who appeared to have taken the lead on operation presents under the tree. Tony shook his head and couldn't help but smile. How the hell did all of them fit together, let alone not kill each other on sight?

"Thor coming?" Clint asked as he finished his work under the tree and started nibbling at the food.

"Yeah, point break said he would not miss 'this most glorious of feasts' and would be here tonight," Tony said.

Overhead the sky darkened and rumbled.

"If he breaks my patio again.." Tony muttered under his breath as the Bifrost landed against the patio and Thor stepped into the room with a wide grin.

Tony smiled at Thor, "Hey nice arrival, good job not breaking anything this time."

"Ah you worry too much, that was only once," Thor said, patting Tony's shoulder.

Tony tried to not wince at the back-breaking force behind Thor's slap. The god still hadn't really learned that whole delicate human thing, then again with humans like Steve around, Tony could see how it'd be hard to gauge what kind of force to bring, not that he wanted Thor's full-on back slaps anyways.

"Where is my brother?" Thor asked.

Out of all the Avengers, Thor had, surprisingly, taken the news of Tony and Loki the best. He'd said something about Tony being an upgrade from that stallion and Loki had thrown a bottle of wine at Thor while Thor laughed. Tony hadn't asked about that stallion comment yet but he was going to and hopefully Loki wouldn't also hurl a wine bottle at him.

"Yeah, where is tall, green and scowling?" Steve asked, leveling Tony with a disappointed look.

Tony forced that same smile he gave to the media. The one that said politely go eat a dick.

"He couldn't make it. Had another party to be at," Tony said, "So, let's go ahead and eat before anything gets cold."

Steve opened his mouth to say something but Tony walked past him to the table and started dishing up his food. He wasn't particularly hungry but once everyone got eating hopefully the Loki topic would get dropped at least for a while. He knew his team members wouldn't let it go for the night; Tony wasn't nearly that lucky.

Bruce followed behind Tony and soon everyone was circling the table and filling their plates and cups. It didn't take long before Thor was launching into a tale about some creatures that Tony was convinced weren't real.

"Okay look there is no way this Bligesnipe or whatever is real," Tony finally said, shaking his head.

"Oh?" Thor asked, "You've seen one then?" he asked.

"No," Tony said, "You're making it up. Come on. 900 feet tall with horns and poison spit?"

"Aye, one of the worst creatures on Asgard, it can take whole armies to fell one."

"You are screwing with us," Tony said again.

"It does sound a little far fetched," Bruce said after a moment.

Natasha just smirked and leaned back against the couch to sip at her straight vodka.

Thor laughed, "You would not say that if you had seen the battle we fought. Sif, the warriors three and I conquered it," he said.

"And what? It just evaporated? You kill Godzilla and don't even keep a souvenir?" Tony asked.

"I do not carry it with me. The horns of it live in the Great Hall," Thor said with a nod like that was the simplest answer possible.

Tony just snorted, "You are so full of it."

"After the death whale the chitauri brought to the party and you don't think that could exist too?" Natasha finally asked.

Tony frowned, "That is...a valid point," he relented.

Thor raised his glass towards Natasha. She tipped hers toward him and they both drank. Tony paced himself with his one glass of whiskey. He was not over doing it tonight. He did not need to be drunk and babbling about Loki here.

Steve and Thor both got up to get another plate of food, Tony had lost track of how many helpings they'd had but there was still food on the table but he wasn't about to try to stop them and their fourteen combined stomachs. He wondered how Shield kept enough food on hand to deal with those kinds of appetites.

"Thanks for organizing this Tony," Steve said as he finished his latest plate.

Tony nodded, "Yeah. I always decorate the tower this year I just toned down the me a little bit."

"Oh it still glitters plenty," Clint said.

Tony glared, "Yeah keep it up," Tony said.

Clint just grinned and took another bite of pie.

Tony swore that Clint had eaten nothing but desserts and not touched the meal at all but he wasn't about to start policing food choices.

"Sir, Director Fury is phoning," Jarvis spoke over the Christmas music.

Before Tony could answer that it was Christmas and they were not working, Steve spoke, "Put it on."

Jarvis, the traitor, put the call on. "Sorry to interrupt the fun," Fury said.

"Just because you weren't invited doesn't mean you get to crash," Tony said.

Fury ignored the comment. "There have been reports across the Eastern coast of the US of a horned man attacking households."

Tony felt his blood chill as all eyes turned towards him. He swallowed hard, Loki wouldn't, would he?

"What exactly is being reported?" Steve asked.

"Just that. A few families have called in to local emergency services about a horned creature that looks like a man trying to break into their homes. One family in Atlanta said the man got in but then heard something outside and fled."

"Do we have a location?" Steve asked, already getting to his feet.

"Sending it your way now," Fury responded.

Steve looked around the room.

"Party's over huh? I hadn't even gotten into the eggnog yet," Tony said.

"A horned man, huh?" Clint asked, "Who do we know that matches that description?"

Tony glared.

"Quinjets should be ready to go," Natasha said from where she typed quickly on her phone, "I'm inputting coordinates now. Let's get this over with so I can enjoy some hot chocolate."

Tony didn't say anything else and tapped his suit recall bracelet. The suit snapped into place as he walked to the elevator and tried to calm the mess in his head. Loki couldn't be out there attacked random families; they'd gotten past that hadn't they? Yeah Loki still liked to show up and mess with things but that was with pranks, like turning Clint's arrows into jelly, and disappearing things Cap was trying to jump onto it. Pranks, not active attacks on innocents. Loki didn't do that anymore, at least that's what Tony had been telling himself. Now he could only hope he'd been right about that.


	2. Chapter 2

The Avengers loaded into the quinjet and Natasha took the controls to the East coast. They headed for a small, rural city near the Georgia coast, not anywhere Tony had even heard of, and not somewhere he'd planned on going back to.

"Jet's picking up abnormal readings on ground level," Natasha reported.

Steve put his shell onto his back and opened up the cargo bay, "Well let's go say Merry Christmas," he said before leaping out the bay door.

"Show off," Clint muttered as he grabbed a parachute.

"Banner and I will stay up top," Natasha said to Tony.

He nodded, giving her a little salute before waving to Banner, "Try to not get into any trouble you two," Tony told them before he blasted out of the ship.

"Alright Jarvis, show me something," he said.

"Strange energy patterns coming from 2 miles northeast," Jarvis reported, highlighting the area.

"And do those signatures match anyone tall, dark and reindeer-y?" Tony asked.

Jarvis seemed to hesitate, not answering right away before saying, "Yes sir, a signature matching that of Loki is in the area."

Tony swore in several different languages. He'd been an idiot thinking with his dick, how long had Loki been pulling him along with this 'I'm a good guy now' bull shit?

He kicked his thrusters into top gear and screeched through the air towards the signatures. He heard Steve yelling something into the comm channel but he ignored it. He didn't need Steve or anyone else rubbing in his screw ups. The only person who seemed to be keeping up with Tony's blasting pace was Thor who Tony could just make out flying over in a whirl of lightning and red, like a Christmas lightning bolt come to kick ass on Earth.

As they reached a neighborhood, Tony slowed down to land and looked around. He didn't see anything out of place, aside from the level of tacky some of the light displays were here but everything looked quiet, peaceful even.

Thor landed beside Tony and frowned, "This is where we were to go, yes?"

Tony nodded, "Yep, this is it point break," Tony said.

Jarvis highlight several roofs but Tony couldn't see anything out of the ordinary on them. He knew Loki could hide himself so he guessed his lover was somewhere out here just bidding his time for the right moment to really sink that knife into his back. God, he'd been an idiot.

"You think my brother is responsible?" Thor asked.

"Sorry to say so, but yeah," Tony said.

Thor frowned and looked into the distance. That optimism still burned in Thor and god, Tony wanted to believe it could be right and Loki wasn't involved in this mess, but he was right here looking at it and Jarvis could read Loki all over this place where a horned man had been reported ruining Christmas. If Loki had wanted to reenact How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Tony was sure they could have found another way to make that work.

Thor patted Tony's back and the suit absorbed most of the impact of Thor's strength as the rest of the group caught up with them. "We should spread out and find him. Do not engage if there are civilians around," Cap said.

Tony offered a half-assed salute and flew off to the furthest edge of the area and had Jarvis do a wide scan. Nothing initially pinged out of the ordinary, traces of Loki and, Tony noticed, traces of something else too. Loki wasn't here alone because there were two distinct energy patterns here, patterns Tony recognized as magic from his scans of Loki. Something weird was going on here and Tony somehow doubted it classified as a Christmas miracle.

"I've got something," Clint's voice came in over the comm unit.

Tony scanned and spotted Barton immediately, on top of a roof and with a bow drawn towards a barn. On top of that barn, Tony could just make out a dark shape with distinct curved horns. A pit in his stomach grew wider.

"Loki? What the hell are you doing!?" Tony called.


	3. Chapter 3

"Loki? What the hell are you doing!?" Tony called.

The horned figure snorted then leapt into the air and crashed to the ground and started walking away like he hadn't noticed the Avengers at all. "Alright, let's bring him down," Steve said.

Tony nodded, ready to take down his lover and figure out what the hell was going on. Thor had a frown on his face as he swung the hammer, ready to launch himself into the sky.

"Something on your mind?" Steve asked Thor.

The god shook his head, "No tis nothing," he said before flinging himself into the air and towards the horned figure.

Tony took off after him while the others sprinted that way on foot. He could see the figure sprinting from them at a distinctly not-human pace. He glanced at Thor before muttering, "To hell with it. Full thrust Jarvis. I'm done playing case," he said.

"Of course," Jarvis said and the suit blasted forward.

Tony slammed into the horned man and they both hit the ground hard, skidding and rolling through sand before finally coming to a halt. The figure got up and tried to take off but Tony grabbed an ankle, surprised to find his hand wrapped around what appeared to be the very large leg of a goat complete with a hoof stomping against the ground and trying to get away from Tony's grasp.

Tony rolled over enough to look up and found himself staring into the face of a very hairy man with a very long tongue curled out of a mouth filled with very sharp teeth.

"What the-" Tony's thought was cut off by a swift kick and he let go and the goat man took off again. Thor flew by over head and slammed into the man, pinning the goat man to the ground with mjolnir.

Tony got off, brushing himself off before walked over to the man and looked down at him. Definitely not Loki.

"Who are you?" Tony asked.

The man growled and hissed in a language Tony didn't know. He looked to Thor. Thor frowned, "I do not know that tongue."

"Speak English?" tony asked, lifting his face shield and kneeling down by him.

"Why?" The man spat.

"What's your name?" Tony asked.

"Krampus," he said.

Tony blinked a few times, "Like bad Santa Clause?" He asked.

He'd heard the name before, usually during some holiday bar crawl done for laughs around the holiday. "Uh-huh, and what are you doing there Krampus?"

"Remove this weight!" Krampus demanded.

Tony looked at Thor.

"You will answer our questions?" Thor asked.

"Remove the weight!" Krampus repeated.

Thor sighed, and leaned down and removed Mjolnir. Even though Tony expected, the goat hoof to the chest knocked him back and Krampus was on the run again. This time Steve and the others had caught up. The shield flew and caught the fleeing man between the shoulder blades but he kept running. Clint shot an arrow that burst with electricity and while sparks ran across the darkly furred skin, Krampus didn't stop. Thor started winding up the hammer for a toss and Tony got his chest beam charging. As Tony fired, the hammer flew alongside the blast heading for a dead center bull's eyes when they suddenly hit a force field. Tony's shot exploded in a rush of smoke and light and Thor's hammer dropped straight to the ground.

"That is enough!" came Loki's voice.

Tony put his face plate back down to block the smoke and Jarvis immediately highlighted Loki standing between them and Krampus. What the hell now?

"Loki, what madness is this?" Thor called, "You disturb Midgard on its most holy of days?"

"I am disturbing nothing!" Loki snapped.

"Funny how that looks from over here," Tony said.

The smoke slowly drifted away on the ocean breeze and Tony got a clear view of Loki. He was in his casual clothes, a green sweater that looked a bit worse for the wear, and jeans. He had one hand held out to his side and one up in front of himself. To Loki's side, Krampus floated in the air, struggling with invisible bonds, Loki's doing no doubt.

"OPA!" Krampus sounded almost whining.

"That is enough!" Loki snapped.

Krampus huffed and crossed his arms.

"Your involvement is not required in this matter," Loki said, turning to the Avengers.

"Ah no, this falls right under things we're involved with," Clint said.

Loki narrowed his eyes, "I have no wish to fight you."

"What?" Tony and Thor said.

"Who is that?" Tony asked.

"OPA!" Krampus groaned again.

Thor frowned, "Brother...we need not be enemies. This creature is harming-"

"He was confused and mistaken. I am going to take him home," Loki said.

Krampus muttered something else under his breath.

Tony shook his head and tried to think when suddenly something hit him. "Opa? You're calling Loki Opa?" He asked Krampus.

The goat man just snorted and looked away from Tony.

"Grandpa," Natasha said as she landed easily in the middle of the standoff.

"Grandpa?" Thor repeated then frowned at Loki. "What is the meaning of this?"

Loki let out a long breath, "Hel has had a child, yes," he said.

Thor was suddenly across the field and pulling Loki into a hug, "Brother! Congratulations!"

"Put me down! He is thousands of years old already!" Loki struggled to escape.

Thor finally released Loki, "Yes, yes, take him home. I will accompany you," Thor said.

"We're just letting this go?" Clint asked.

Steve sighed, "What is going on exactly?"

"This is my grandson. He came to earth expecting to be as it was thousands of years ago. He got confused looking for those who followed him ages ago. I am taking him home," Loki said.

Steve sighed, "Just get out of here. We need to do some clean up."

"Already called it in. Coulson's on it," Natasha said.

Steve nodded, "Then let's get home. I think we have some pot roast still left," he said and headed for the jet.

Tony stayed where he was just staring at Loki.

Loki sighed softly and caught Tony's eyes, "Go with your allies man of iron. We will speak once I have finished," he said.

Tony nodded and finally headed back with the others. He stayed lost in his thoughts the whole ride back and sat in front of the TV with hot chocolate watching Christmas movies well past the time the other Avengers had all left.

It was after midnight when soft footsteps sounded across the floor. "I thought you would be sleeping," Loki said as he sat beside Tony.

Tony shook his head, "What the hell Loki."

Loki sighed and took the hot chocolate from Tony's hand. Tony felt the spark of magic and then steam rising from the mug. Loki sipped before saying, "I am sorry."

"You have...you have a grandson. You have kids? Jesus Loki, when were you going to tell me?" Tony asked, standing up to pace.

Loki watched him, "I was trying to find a good time. You forget I am countless years older than you," Loki said.

"Yeah and reminding me is not helping right now," he said, running a hand through his hair.

"Krampus is home. He apologizes for the harm."

"Yeah, yeah I bet he does. Jesus. So what? This was stay with grandpa for the holidays?" Tony asked.

"No. I went to visit my children for the holiday. I brought them small gifts. Krampus is a clever child and followed me back to earth. He meant no harm."

"Tell that to the families he terrorized today."

"I have already dealt with them. They will believe all this a strange bad dream, nothing that lingers and hurts," Loki said.

Loki sat down the mug and stood up to catch Tony's hand, "Please believe me. I was going to tell you," he said.

"Yeah? Then why the hell haven't you?" Tony asked, not pulling away.

"I wanted to talk to my children about it first. I have never been involved with a mortal before, so I wished to speak to them before telling you," he said.

Tony frowned, "And what'd they have to say?"

"They all were curious how some mortal could have captured my heart," Loki said, pulling Tony close.

"Hm. So, how many kids?"

"Three. Hel, Fenrir and Jörmungandr," he said, "They are all older than you as well."

Tony just snorted.

"They would like to meet you," Loki said, "If you would like to."

"If I'm meeting kids, does that mean we're official?" Tony asked.

"Official?" Loki asked.

"Dating or whatever."

Loki smiled and leaned down to kiss Tony deeply. "We are more than official."

Tony grinned, "Oh hey, before you distract me with that silver tongue of yours," he said and pulled from Loki to riffle under the tree.

Loki arched a brow, "What are you doing?"

"Gift. I've got a gift for you," he pulled out a small box then dropped to one knee just like he practiced as he opened the red and green box. Inside shimmered the best ring money could buy: rubies, emeralds and diamonds glittering around the purest of gold.

"What is it?" Loki asked.

"A ring. It's... a person thing. How we ask about being more than official. Marriage type of thing."

Loki took the ring from the box, pleased when it fit his thin finger, "And is that what you are proposing?"

"Hell yeah baby. You and me against the universe."

Loki grinned and pulled Tony up into another kiss, "Yes you insufferable fool. Yes."

Tony grinned and kissed Loki towards the bedroom door, "Well how about we kick off Christmas with some bed-breaking celebration then huh?"

Loki grinned and scooped Tony into his arms, carrying Iron Man into the bedroom and into a very Merry Christmas and a new year of mischief.


End file.
